Parent Power 2023: best UK schools guide and league table

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Discover the best schools in the UK with a guide that identifies more than 1,600 of the highest-achieving state and private schools, ranked by their most recent moderated examination results. Search our database to find the top schools where you live

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State primary
State secondary
Independent preparatory
Independent secondary
Mixed
Boys
Girls

League table highlights

Rank School
1 Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet
2 Wilson’s School
3 St Olave’s Grammar School
4 Colchester Royal Grammar School
5 The Tiffin Girls’ School
6 Pate’s Grammar School
7 King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford
8 The Henrietta Barnett School
9 Altrincham Grammar School for Girls
10 Reading School
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ADVICE

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ANALYSIS

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Quiz

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ADVICE

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PARENT POWER

Best state secondary schools

PARENT POWER

Best private secondary schools

METHODOLOGY

How we chose the best schools of 2023 — and how to choose yours
Best schools by area
Best schools in East Anglia
Best schools in the East Midlands
Best schools in the West Midlands
Best secondary schools in London
Best schools in the North of England
Best schools in the Northeast
Best schools in the Northwest
Best schools in the Southeast
Best schools in the Southwest
Best schools in Northern Ireland
Best schools in Wales
Best schools in Scotland

Secondary and primary school tables

Parent Power tables rank schools on their average performance using A-level, GCSE and IB outcomes from summer 2022. Advanced Higher, Higher and National outcomes from 2021. Junior schools by Standard Assessment Tests (Sats) in 2019 and preparatory schools on their average performance during 2017-19.

The top independent secondary schools

Boys Male
Girls Female
Mixed Mixed sixth form

Rank

School

Town

A-level (% A*)

A-level (% A*/A)

A-level (% A*/B)

A-level rank

GCSE (% A*/A/ 9/8/7)

GCSE rank

Entry gender
1 St Paul’s School - 59.2 92.1 98.2 2 97.6 5=
2 Brighton College - 49.3 85.7 97.9 3 98 4
3 North London Collegiate School - 57.3 87.8 96.6 7 99.2 2
4 Godolphin and Latymer School - 49.4 85.2 97.5 4 96.9 7
5 Guildford High School - 43.5 85.3 97.3 6 96.7 8=
6 St Paul’s Girls’ School - 66.8 88.7 95.6 13 99.5 1
7 King’s College School, Wimbledon - 54.4 88.2 96.2 10 98.2 3
8 Westminster School - 57.8 88.1 96.3 9 97.6 5=
9 City of London School for Girls - 39.8 80.2 95.7 12 95.4 15
10 Latymer Upper School - 41.3 81.4 95.1 18= 96.5 11
11 King Edward VI High School for Girls - 43.3 79.2 94.9 22 96.6 10
12 Lady Eleanor Holles - 39 76.8 95.9 11 93.6 20=
13 Alleyn’s School - 41.7 81.6 94.7 24 94.8 16
14 Eton College - 40.2 78.2 95 20= 94 19
15 Sevenoaks School - 45 85.4 97.4 5 88.7 38
16 South Hampstead High School GDST - 42.3 79.8 95.2 16= 92.2 27
17 City of London School - 37 74.9 93.2 33= 95.5 14
18 Wycombe Abbey - 40.2 76.2 92.4 41= 96.7 8=
19 Highgate School - 43.5 80 92.7 37= 95.7 13
20 Magdalen College School - 42.3 80.7 93.2 33= 94.1 17=
21 Queen Ethelburga’s College - 31.5 83 94.5 26 90.3 36
22 Royal Grammar School, Guildford - 35.7 74.7 95.2 16= 88.6 39
23= Hampton School - 34.7 71.9 91.5 51 95.8 12
23= Putney High School GDST - 42.4 78.3 93.4 32 91.8 29
25 University College School - 30.3 70.6 93.6 29 91.3 32
26= The Perse School - 43.4 79.6 93.9 27= 90.4 35
26= Winchester College - 44.3 75.7 92.4 41= 93.5 22=
28 Tonbridge School - 37.9 73.1 92.5 40 92.6 26
29 Reigate Grammar School - 33.9 70.6 93.9 27= 89.7 37
30 Kingston Grammar School - 35.2 75.4 92.7 37= 91.6 30
31 Concord College - 48.6 82.4 95.3 14= 86.2 51
32 Trinity School, Croydon - 38.8 76.1 95 20= 86.1 52=
33 James Allen’s Girls’ School - 39.4 77.8 92.7 37= 90.7 34
34 Notting Hill and Ealing High School GDST - 25.9 64.5 91.4 52= 93.1 24
35 Withington Girls’ School - 41.2 75.1 91.3 54= 92.9 25
36 Wimbledon High School GDST - 41.4 80 94.6 25 85.9 54
37 Bancroft’s - 39.7 75.1 93.2 33= 88.3 41=
38= Caterham School - 29.4 65.1 91.4 52= 91.5 31
38= The Manchester Grammar School - 37.7 75.5 93 36 88.2 43
40 Cardiff Sixth Form College - 68.6 94.1 99.6 1 74.8 108
41 King Edward’s School, Birmingham - 45.2 77.9 94.8 23 83.8 60
42 Emanuel School - 31.1 69.8 91.3 54= 90.9 33
43= Eltham College - 34.4 67.8 91.9 46 88.5 40
43= Oxford High School GDST - 29.6 64.6 89.3 63= 93.6 20=
45 Channing School - 25.6 67.3 95.1 18= 81.7 65
46 Dulwich College - 31.6 69.2 89.1 65 93.5 22=
47 Colfe’s School - 24.7 65.4 95.3 14= 80.1 76
48 Wellington College - 30.5 68.8 91.6 50 86.7 49
49 Nottingham High School - 30.8 69.9 92.4 41= 84.9 58
50 Surbiton High School - 35.9 68.8 91.8 47= 85.5 55
51 St Albans High School for Girls - 36 72 92 45 85 56=
52 Epsom College - 21.7 60.3 90.6 58 87.1 46=
53 Whitgift School - 28.2 62.9 90.1 59 87.2 45
54 St Helen and St Katharine - 28.4 64.8 87.5 76= 92.1 28
55 Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood - 33.1 69.8 89.3 63= 88.3 41=
56 Westbourne School - 19.3 66.7 96.5 8 73.1 113=
57 City of London Freemen’s School - 29 71.3 92.2 44 81.5 66
58 St Michael’s School - 50.3 80 93.5 30= 78.7 83
59 Francis Holland School, Sloane Square - 31 72 89 66 87 48
60 Abingdon School - 30 69.9 88.9 67 87.1 46=
61 St Mary’s School Ascot - 30.1 62 84.7 103= 94.1 17=
62 Cheltenham Ladies’ College - 35 71.7 87.3 80= 87.6 44
63 Harrow School - 30.8 64.7 88.6 68= 84.3 59
64 St Catherine’s, Bramley - 32.6 72.5 90.8 56 79.6 78=
65 St Swithun’s School - 34.3 71.7 91.8 47= 77.4 91
66 Radley College - 23.3 60.7 86.6 85 86.5 50
67 The Leys - 24.6 62.6 85.7 98= 86.1 52=
68 Sir William Perkins’s School - 27.9 64.2 86.1 89= 85 56=
69 Sheffield Girls’ GDST - 34.8 66.1 87.9 74= 80.2 74=
70 King Edward’s School, Bath - 26.6 61.8 89.7 61 76.6 96=
71 St Dunstan’s College - 21.1 63.6 89.5 62 76.7 94=
72 Ibstock Place School - 16.9 53.7 86 92 83.4 62
73= Churcher’s College - 23.1 61.2 90.7 57 73.6 112
73= Hurstpierpoint College - - - 88 72= 79 80=
75 St John’s College, Cardiff - 35.7 72 87.3 80= 80.2 74=
76 Benenden School - 32.5 69.1 87.9 74= 78.2 85
77= Haileybury - 23.8 56.1 85.8 96= 82.4 63
77= Harrodian - 25.7 69.5 88.4 70= 77.1 92
79 The King’s School, Chester - 25 59.8 84.8 102 83.6 61
80 Queen’s College, London - 16.2 53.8 86.2 88 80.8 68=
81= Francis Holland School, Regent’s Park - 22 57 87 82= 79 80=
81= Royal Grammar School, Newcastle - 25.6 62.9 86.3 86= 80.3 73
83 Oundle School - 21.1 60.6 87.5 76= 77.6 88=
84 St Helen’s School, Northwood - 31.6 64.6 85.9 93= 80.4 71=
85 St Augustine’s Priory - 39.1 65.2 93.5 30= 64.2 159
86 Redmaids’ High School - 31.9 68.7 88.6 68= 73.1 113=
87 St Albans School - 22.3 56.8 84.6 105 80.4 71=
88 The Cathedral School, Llandaff - 36.1 73.2 89.8 60 69.9 132=
89= Immanuel College - 19.7 60.5 88.4 70= 71.9 120
89= Reading Blue Coat - 13.2 50.3 83.4 120= 81.9 64
91 Manchester High School for Girls - 21.6 56.5 85.9 93= 76.9 93
92 The Abbey - 23.4 59.3 83.9 112= 80.8 68=
93= Solihull School - 26.8 58.7 84.4 106 78.8 82
93= The Maynard School - 34.3 60.2 86.1 89= 75.4 104
95 Downe House - 22 54 83 123= 81 67
96 Bedford School - 21.1 54.2 86.3 86= 74.1 110
97 The Grammar School at Leeds - 23.5 62.1 87.4 78= 71.1 125
98 Leicester Grammar School - 29.5 61.6 85.8 96= 74.2 109
99 Croydon High School GDST - 20.7 56.7 84 109= 77.5 90
100 Reed’s School - - 51 85 101 75 105=
101 Ardingly College - 25 60.1 84.2 107 76.1 98
102 Blackheath High School GDST - - 41 84 109= 76 99=
103 St John’s School, Leatherhead - 16.2 51.2 82.2 135 79.6 78=
104 St George’s Weybridge - 15.2 48.7 81.6 143= 79.9 77
105 Bishop’s Stortford College - 21.9 54.7 82.6 131= 77.6 88=
106= Charterhouse - 19.8 53.5 83.4 120= 75.8 102
106= The Yehudi Menuhin School - 20 62.9 85.7 98= 71.2 123=
108 Loughborough High School - 29.8 64.4 86.8 84 68.8 137=
109= Berkhamsted School - 21.9 57.2 83.1 122 75.6 103
109= Headington Rye Oxford - 22.8 58.3 82.6 131= 76.6 96=
111= Canford School - 24.1 56.9 84.7 103= 72.1 118
111= Marlborough College - 18.7 53.8 87 82= 67.6 146
113 King Edward VI School, Southampton - 19.4 50.3 83.8 114= 73 116
114 Forest School - 13.6 48.5 81.3 146= 77.8 87
115 Sutton High School GDST - 22.4 56.5 85.7 98= 68 142=
116 Warwick School - 23.4 54.8 81.3 146= 76.7 94=
117 Bromley High School GDST - 21.3 58.8 83.7 117= 71.2 123=
118= Cranleigh - - - 83 123= 72 119
118= RGS Worcester - 29.5 61.7 88 72= 62.1 170
118= Roedean School - - 50 81 148= 76 99=
121 Norwich School - 24 51.8 81.7 142 74 111
122 St Mary’s Calne - 23.8 61.7 82.9 127= 71.4 122
123 Stephen Perse Senior School - 19.6 53.5 81.9 139 73.1 113=
124 Bradford Grammar School - 19.6 56.7 82.9 127= 70.9 126
125 St Benedict’s School - 15.7 48.3 82.3 133= 71.7 121
126 Exeter School - 17.2 54.6 83.7 117= 68.8 137=
127 Uppingham - 18.3 52.2 84.1 108 67.8 145
128 The Portsmouth Grammar School - 24.8 60.5 85.9 93= 62.8 165=
129 Royal High Bath GDST - 20.8 54.1 83 123= 68 142=
130= Kingswood School - 20.4 49.8 77.7 172= 78.4 84
130= The King’s School, Canterbury - 23.6 52.5 81.5 145 70.7 127
132 Woldingham School - 13.1 50.4 81.6 143= 70.4 129=
133 Mill Hill School - 21.9 47.3 78.4 168 75 105=
134= Bradfield College - 19.3 53.6 83.8 114= 63 163
134= Newcastle-under-Lyme School - 7.9 39.3 80.8 150= 68.9 136
136 Norwich High School for Girls GDST - 23.5 48.5 83.8 114= 62.8 165=
137 The Grange School - 26 55 81.8 140= 65.3 153
138 St Edward’s, Oxford - 16.2 47.7 81.8 140= 65.1 154
139 Bromsgrove School - 26.7 56.9 83 123= 62.4 167=
140 The Queen’s School - 22.5 58.6 87.4 78= 53.5 228=
141 Walthamstow Hall Senior School - 21.7 46.2 79 159= 69.9 132=
142 St Leonards School - 20.8 59.6 86.1 89= 55.5 212
143 Burgess Hill Girls - 20.2 49.5 78.8 163 69.3 135
144 Mayfield School - 25.4 50.3 80.4 152 65.8 152
145 Northwood College for Girls GDST - - - 81 148= 64.5 158
146 Birkdale School - 20.8 53.6 80.8 150= 64.7 156=
147 Windermere School - 16.3 42.9 91.8 47= 42.4 276
148 Nottingham Girls’ High School GDST - 17.1 48.8 82.9 127= 60.1 180
149 St John’s Preparatory and Senior School - 36.7 65.3 82.3 133= 61.1 175
150 St Francis’ College - 25 63.9 77.8 171 70.1 131
151= Radnor House, Twickenham - 21.8 47.2 78.9 162 67.5 147
151= The Marist School - 24.1 56 80.2 154 64.9 155
153 Bristol Grammar School - 24.7 54.7 77.7 172= 69.6 134
154 Claremont Fan Court School - 17.9 50.7 83.9 112= 57 203
155 Dame Allan’s Girls’ School - 17.2 49 78.6 165= 66.9 149
156 Ipswich School - 15 51.9 82.1 136= 59.5 187=
157 The King’s School in Macclesfield - 19.8 53.6 82 138 59.6 186
158 Cheltenham College - 21.1 51.8 82.1 136= 59.3 189
159 Bedford Modern School - 14.7 44.3 76.1 183 70.4 129=
160 Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital - 19.6 55 78.2 169 66.1 150
161 King Henry VIII School - 12.3 41.7 77 178= 68 142=
162= Sydenham High School GDST - 18.2 47.3 77.3 175= 67.3 148
162= Yarm School - 18.1 48.4 75.7 185 70.5 128
164 Hymers College - 19.8 52.2 76.2 182 68.2 140=
165 Ruthin School - 18.5 52.2 73.9 197 72.7 117
166= Badminton School - 27.4 49.8 72.6 200= 74.9 107
166= King’s High School, Warwick - - 44 71 215= 78 86
166= Lancing College - 24 52 79 159= 62 171=
169 Queen’s Gate School - 26.9 52.1 84 109= 50.1 241
170 Wetherby Senior School - 15.2 40.4 74.3 195 68.6 139
171 St Mary’s School, Cambridge - 16.5 52.5 77 178= 62.9 164
172 The King’s School, Worcester - 17.2 46.7 75.2 187 66 151
173= Repton School - - 47 80 157 56 207=
173= St Peter’s School, York - 18 48 76 184 64 160=
175 Dame Allan’s Boys’ School - 17.2 49 78.6 165= 58.5 193
176 Howell’s School, Llandaff GDST - 20.3 50.5 78.7 164 57.5 199
177 Newcastle High School for Girls GDST - 14.3 47.8 79.8 158 55.2 213=
178 Edgbaston High School for Girls - 12.3 44.8 75.5 186 63.4 162
179 Lord Wandsworth College - 18.5 49.2 83.5 119 47.2 252=
180= Shrewsbury School - - - 77 178= 60 181=
180= Streatham and Clapham High School GDST - - 33 69 231= 76 99=
182 Cheadle Hulme School - 9.5 39.9 74.9 191= 64 160=
183 d’Overbroeck’s College - 23.3 58.5 82.9 127= 47.2 252=
184 Rougemont School - - 50.4 80.3 153 52 233=
185 Fettes College - 20.8 54.1 78.5 167 55.2 213=
186 Reddam House Berkshire - 21 53 78 170 56 207=
187 Dauntsey’s - 13.4 45.6 74.6 194 62.2 169
188 Chigwell School - 12.7 42.8 71.4 210= 68.2 140=
189 New Hall School - 11.7 42.2 73 198 64.7 156=
190 Clifton College - 17 44 75 188= 58 195=
191 Collegiate School - 13.4 39.8 77.6 174 52.1 231=
192 Stockport Grammar School - 12.9 39.2 74.9 191= 57.3 200=
193 Truro School - 19.2 49.8 80.1 155= 46.5 256=
194 Malvern College - - - 75 188= 56 207=
195 Bablake School - 14.2 40.2 72.8 199 60.2 179
196 Farnborough Hill - 21.9 50 77.2 177 50.5 237=
197 Woodbridge School - 21.7 51 72.2 205 59.7 184=
198 Kimbolton School - 9.9 34.8 71.4 210= 60.8 177
199 Godolphin - 12.1 37.1 72.6 200= 57.2 202
200= Northampton High School GDST - 16 40 72 206= 58 195=
200= St Catherine’s School, Twickenham - - 39 70 221= 62 171=
202 Stonyhurst College - 18.2 52.5 80.1 155= 41.2 277
203 Bootham School - - 45 71 215= 59 190
204 Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle - 16.9 47.6 69.9 227 60.5 178
205 Queen Elizabeth Grammar School - - 47 75 188= 50 242=
206 St George’s Ascot - 24.2 43.4 68.7 235 62.4 167=
207 Loughborough Grammar School - 18 45.5 70.5 220 58.4 194
208 Bury Grammar School - 14.7 40.8 72.5 202 54.1 222
209 Ashford School - 13.9 37.5 68.5 237 61.5 174
210 Royal Russell School - 18.2 42.9 69.7 228= 58.9 191=
211 Oakham School - 17.9 44.2 71.6 209 54.9 216
212 Moreton Hall - 25.2 49.6 76.4 181 45.2 261
213 Hulme Grammar School - 9.2 34.8 77.3 175= 43.2 272
214 St Columba’s College - 9.8 41.7 71.1 214 54.6 217=
215 Monkton Combe School - 11.4 36.2 68.2 239= 60 181=
216 King Alfred School - 17.2 41.1 74.8 193 46.4 258
217 St James Senior Girls’ School - - 41 70 221= 55 215
218 The Ladies’ College, Guernsey - 15.6 40.7 69.6 230 54.6 217=
219 Leighton Park School - 12.7 36.7 67.1 248 59.5 187=
220 Royal Hospital School - 15.7 46.4 68.6 236 56.3 206
221 Jersey College for Girls - 10 35.6 66.8 251 59.7 184=
222 Dunottar School - 10 37 72 206= 49 248
223 St Joseph’s College, Reading - 12.9 35.6 71.2 212= 50 242=
224= Blundell’s School - - 38 70 221= 52 233=
224= North Bridge House Senior Canonbury - - 38 67 249= 58 195=
226= Durham High School - 14.1 37.5 67.2 247 56.7 205
226= Prior’s Field School - - 27 65 257 61 176
226= Taunton School - - - 69 231= 53 230
229 Cranford School - 7.6 33.3 68.2 239= 54.3 221
230 Bolton School Boys’ Division - 12.3 41.6 69.7 228= 49.9 246
231= Kingham Hill School - - 53 79 159= 31 297
231= Ratcliffe College - - 45 71 215= 47 254=
233 Tudor Hall - 10.7 39.3 74.1 196 40.6 281
234 Bolton School Girls’ Divison - 11 39.2 66 254 56.8 204
235 Victoria College, Jersey - 17.7 42.4 72.4 203= 43.8 269
236 Princethorpe College - 9.9 35 67.3 246 53.5 228=
237 Culford School - - 34 67 249= 54 223=
238 Derby High School - 25.3 46.8 69 231= 49.3 247
239 Luckley House School - 11 35 70 221= 47 254=
240= Brampton College - 14.2 43 71.2 212= 43.5 270
240= Cokethorpe School - - 44 69 231= 48 251
240= Sherborne Girls - - 40 68 241= 50 242=
240= West Buckland School - - 39 71 215= 44 266=
244 Clifton High School - 8.2 31.2 62.9 270 57.3 200=
245 Rossall School - 13.5 42.2 70 221= 42.8 274
246 Chetham’s School of Music - 7.6 24.8 61.8 274 58.9 191=
247 Ashville College - 18 44 72 206= 38 289
248 Merchiston Castle School - 20.2 38.4 63.6 264= 54.6 217=
249 Michael Hall Waldorf School - 22.2 36.1 63.9 263 53.8 226=
250 Scarisbrick Hall School - - 43 70 221= 41 278=
251 Talbot Heath - 7.5 36.8 70.8 219 39.3 285=
252 AKS Lytham - 17.7 45.4 66.2 253 48.2 250
253 Sherborne School - 12 33 63 267= 54 223=
254 Stamford School - 9.3 32.2 64.7 258= 50.5 237=
255 Hampton Court House - 16.1 33.9 58.9 286= 61.6 173
256= Merchant Taylors’ School, Crosby - 9.1 32.3 65.8 255 46.5 256=
256= Prior Park College - - 36 63 267= 52 233=
258 Leicester High School for Girls - 6.1 25.8 48.5 300 80.6 70
259= King’s College Taunton - 12.7 35 63.3 266 50.4 239=
259= Trent College - - 35.9 68 241= 41 278=
261 Sutton Valence School - - 37.4 62.8 271 50.6 236
262 Ryde School with Upper Chine - 10.7 37.9 67.8 244= 39.6 284
263 Denstone College - 12 38.8 64.7 258= 45.6 260
264 Twycross House School - 17.2 43.1 65.5 256 43.9 268
265 Malvern St James - - 34 62 272= 50 242=
266 Sherfield School - 10 20 60 281= 53.8 226=
267 Christ College Brecon - 14.8 32.9 67.8 244= 37.9 290
268 Tring Park School for the Performing Arts - - - 61 277= 50.4 239=
269 Salesian College - 11.4 27.4 56 293= 59.8 183
270 The Mount School York - 16.7 35.7 64.3 261 42.5 275
271 St Bede’s College - 17.2 46.6 66.4 252 38.2 288
272 Halliford School - - - 58 291= 54 223=
273 St Joseph’s College, Ipswich - 5.8 33.3 68.3 238 32.5 295
274 Adcote School for Girls - 24.1 56.9 72.4 203= 23.9 299
275 The Purcell School - 11.4 31.7 55.3 296 58 195=
276= Abbey College Manchester - - - 56 293= 56 207=
276= Harrogate Ladies’ College - 9.3 27.8 61.1 276 45.8 259
278 St Margaret’s School - 14.3 33.1 61.7 275 43.3 271
279 Birkenhead School - 8.4 27.2 60.7 280 45.1 262
280 Hill House School - 14.1 34.6 61 277= 44.5 264
281= Alderley Edge School for Girls - 12.5 28.8 55 297 56 207=
281= Kensington Park School - 14.4 35.1 58.6 288= 48.9 249
283 Battle Abbey School - 13.6 35.6 63.6 264= 37.8 291
284 MPW Cambridge - 18.5 41.3 64.6 260 35.2 293
285 Millfield School - - 31 62 272= 40 282=
286 Kent College Canterbury - - 31 59 284= 45 263
287 Frensham Heights - 25 36 59 284= 44 266=
288 Pocklington School - 9.9 25.6 53.4 298 54.5 220
289 Stafford Grammar School - - - 60 281= 40 282=
290 St Christopher School, Letchworth Garden City - - 33 58 291= 43 273
291= Elizabeth College, Guernsey - 14.5 33.2 58.6 288= 41 278=
291= Hampstead Fine Arts College - 14.9 38.2 68 241= 22.1 300
293 Austin Friars - - - 63 267= 32 296
294 Ewell Castle School - 6.5 30.9 52.8 299 52.1 231=
295 Plymouth College - 7.2 34 60.8 279 35.6 292
296 Westholme School - 10.4 32.8 58.9 286= 39.3 285=
297 Durham School - 8.3 33.3 55.9 295 44.3 265
298 Pangbourne College - 5.3 34.8 58.3 290 38.5 287
299 St Edward’s School, Cheltenham - - 39 64 262 26 298
300 Bethany School - 19 41 60 281= 33.3 294